Until yesterday afternoon Fulla was a fluffy beautiful white cat that I get to host every time my mother leaves town. Exit Fulla the cat and enter Fulla the veiled Barbie!!!! I heard of this Barbie in passing by a friend of mine. It was mentioned as an ingenious idea in the proper formation of young Moslem girls.
I am just as appalled by "Fulla" the pseudo-Barbie as much as I was when I watched an Arabized version of an Oreo Cookie commercial (in Arabic Gulf accent). I appreciated and found cute the debate on what is the best way to eat an Oreo cookie when it was directed at the proper audience at the place where it originated: USA. However, when we start seeing the Barbiazation and the Oreozation of our day-to-day culture, I think it is time we stop and think for a second, where the hell have we gone wrong?
More important though is where the hell are we going?
After doing little research, I discovered how out of touch I have been. Fulla the sexy, oops I mean the wholesome chic, had been introduced in Moslem markets for few years now. I was not aware of it, maybe because I stopped playing with Barbie long time ago and now I am busy competing with her in the battle of the sizes.
Why was I so annoyed by this piece of insignificant news? Why? Why? Why? Is it because it reeks of manipulation of a questionable trend that is on the rise? Or is it because it is reinforcing a sexist image of women while being targeted at a group that might deny the whole notion of women’s sexuality? Or is it because it confirms the ignorance of a large important segment of our society today called “young parents”? Or is it because this Fulla will never dream of having her Ken (or Saeed)?
What in the name of sanity is the message that the makers of Fulla are trying to convey? This concoction of sexism mixed with religious righteousness is a sick attempt to boost sales of a symbol that has invaded western culture and is now polluting our young kids’ minds. Aren’t parents aware that teaching their kids to follow Islam should come through the proper teachings of this great religion? Don’t they realize that using weak vehicles such superficial lessons, fear tactics, myths, Barbie dolls are nothing but a testimony of their failure to properly understand and instill the values of Islam?
I have nothing against the veil. In fact one of my favorite articles happens to be about a woman’s defense of it. What I abhor is the cheap shot aimed at the minds of young Arab girls by introducing such a stupid and manipulative idea. Besides, does this mean now that Barbie is yet another mode of pitting at a very young age one group against the other? Growing up we never thought of ourselves as Moslems and Christians. We never cared. Christians did their thing and we did ours. The tolerance we were brought up with is the very tolerance that is at stake with such dangerous notions as this Fulla doll.
Why was I so annoyed by this piece of insignificant news? Why? Why? Why? Is it because it reeks of manipulation of a questionable trend that is on the rise? Or is it because it is reinforcing a sexist image of women while being targeted at a group that might deny the whole notion of women’s sexuality? Or is it because it confirms the ignorance of a large important segment of our society today called “young parents”? Or is it because this Fulla will never dream of having her Ken (or Saeed)?
What in the name of sanity is the message that the makers of Fulla are trying to convey? This concoction of sexism mixed with religious righteousness is a sick attempt to boost sales of a symbol that has invaded western culture and is now polluting our young kids’ minds. Aren’t parents aware that teaching their kids to follow Islam should come through the proper teachings of this great religion? Don’t they realize that using weak vehicles such superficial lessons, fear tactics, myths, Barbie dolls are nothing but a testimony of their failure to properly understand and instill the values of Islam?
I have nothing against the veil. In fact one of my favorite articles happens to be about a woman’s defense of it. What I abhor is the cheap shot aimed at the minds of young Arab girls by introducing such a stupid and manipulative idea. Besides, does this mean now that Barbie is yet another mode of pitting at a very young age one group against the other? Growing up we never thought of ourselves as Moslems and Christians. We never cared. Christians did their thing and we did ours. The tolerance we were brought up with is the very tolerance that is at stake with such dangerous notions as this Fulla doll.
I am just as appalled by "Fulla" the pseudo-Barbie as much as I was when I watched an Arabized version of an Oreo Cookie commercial (in Arabic Gulf accent). I appreciated and found cute the debate on what is the best way to eat an Oreo cookie when it was directed at the proper audience at the place where it originated: USA. However, when we start seeing the Barbiazation and the Oreozation of our day-to-day culture, I think it is time we stop and think for a second, where the hell have we gone wrong?
More important though is where the hell are we going?
